MINNEAPOLIS – North Central led from start to finish on its way to a 78-57 win over the UW-Superior women's basketball team in Upper Midwest Athletic Conference play at Clark-Danielson Gymnasium on Saturday.
 
The Rams improved 14-1 overall and 4-1 in the UMAC as they landed five players – including four starters – in double figures. Emily DiGiorgio tallied a game-high 20 points on 9-for-13 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds to pace NCU.
 
The North Central defense limited UWS (3-12, 2-4 UMAC) to 26.5 percent from the field for the game, holding Superior to just nine points in the second quarter, en route to a 40-21 halftime advantage. A day after the Yellowjackets knocked down 8-of-18 from long range against Northwestern, the Rams held Superior to just five makes from distance in 30 attempts on Saturday.
 
North Central used its size, for a 36-22 edge in points in the paint while going 26-of-56 (46.4 percent) from the floor on the day.
 
UWS stuck with NCU through the first quarter, and trailed just 11-10 when Makenna Guden (Edgar, Wis./Edgar) hit a 3-pointer, assisted by Chloe Peterson (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson), with 3:53 remaining in the period. The Rams, though, closed the frame with a 7-2 run, extending it to 11-2 with the first two baskets of the second quarter.
 
Elise Besonen (Ewen, Mich./Ewen-Trout Creek) canned a trey with 7:51 remaining in the half to temporarily halt the North Central momentum and cut the deficit to 22-15. Later, consecutive 3-pointers from Mary Seegers and Naomi Hagstrom helped to build the lead to 17 points at 34-17 with 3:43 before halftime.
 
The Rams were not threatened in the second half even though Superior outscored the opposition by a 24-22 margin in the fourth quarter. UWS shot 7-for-13 as a team in the final 10 minutes with Besonen and Allie Zimmer (Waconia, Minn./Waconia) scoring five points apiece in the stanza.
 
Guden led the 'Jackets with a 12 points. Mady Sanders (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial) snatched seven rebounds. Besonen and Paige Servais (Savage, Minn./Burnsville) tallied eight points each.

Seegers scored 16 points in 21 minutes off the bench while Hagstrom (13), Aubrey Robinson and Joelle Talso (10 apiece) also scored double digits.
 
UWS is back in action Wednesday at Northland. Tip-off at Kendrigan Gymnasium is set for 7 p.m.